Predictive validity of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire as a screening tool to identify motor skill problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The revised DCDQ is a decent first screen for motor problems, but always confirm with a hands-on test.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Park et al. (2024) pooled 27 studies to test how well the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) spots motor problems. They looked at both the old form and the revised DCDQ.
The team checked sensitivity, specificity, and area-under-curve. These numbers tell you how often the tool is right when a child really has, or does not have, movement issues.
What they found
The DCDQ gives a moderate signal. Sensitivity was 0.70, specificity 0.77, and AUC 0.80. In plain words, it catches most true cases but still misses three in ten.
The revised version and studies run in clinics scored better. Community samples dragged the average down.
How this fits with other research
Schroeder et al. (2014) compared two hands-on motor tests, M-ABC-2 and ZNA, and found only moderate overlap. Their work says one motor test is not enough; Seong-Hi’s paper adds that a parent questionnaire alone is also not enough.
Robertson et al. (2013) showed extra body fat can sink M-ABC-2 balance scores. That warns us: low scores may come from fitness, not DCD. Pair the DCDQ with a performance test before you decide.
Alonso Soriano et al. (2015) surveyed parents and heard long waits and poor support after diagnosis. Using a quick screen like the DCDQ could shorten that wait, but only if you back it up with fuller testing.
Why it matters
You now have numbers to show parents and teachers: the DCDQ is helpful but not perfect. Start with the revised form in clinic settings, then add a performance test like M-ABC-2. This two-step path catches more kids, avoids false labels, and fits the real-world gripes Claudia et al. heard from families. Build that combo into your intake packet and you cut both wait time and guesswork.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) has been used to screen children who probably have developmental coordination disorder (DCD). AIMS: We systematically reviewed studies on the predictive validity of the DCDQ and performed a meta-analysis on its diagnostic accuracy. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Literature was searched through four electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycArticles. A total of 27 studies was selected based on the inclusion criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of the DCDQ were assessed using summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the DCDQ type, reference standard, and participant type. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Overall, the DCDQ has a sensitivity of 0.70 and a specificity of 0.77, showing moderate diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve, 0.80). Subgroup analysis showed that the revised version of the DCDQ had higher diagnostic accuracy than the original version. When the reference standard was the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the sensitivity and specificity of the DCDQ were 0.87 and 0.83, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy was higher in clinical samples compared to the general population. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study demonstrated that the DCDQ has adequate diagnostic accuracy, suggesting it can help screen children with motor skill deficits.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104748